Figure 1.

Various exogenous and endogenous factors (collectively called ‘exposures’) influence a tumour that has intrinsic and interacting components of neoplastic cells and the immune system. For simplicity, this does not depict complex interactions between the exposures and between neoplastic cells. There are ample research opportunities to decipher the interactions between these factors and components in human subjects and populations for better understanding of neoplasms. This figure illustrates potentials of integration of immunology and molecular pathological epidemiology.